


Balm

by SaraJaye



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Beach Brawl references, Beaches, F/M, First Aid, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Married Couple, Mild Guilt, Post-Game(s), Sunburn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-08-07 05:51:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7703008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I've been hurt far worse during battles. A little sunburn isn't going to kill me."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Balm

"T-try to hold still, okay...?" Her baton had taken care of the surface burns, but his skin was still in bad shape. Xander winced and she felt _awful_ , it was kind of her fault he'd gotten burned in the first place. "I'm sorry..."

"It's hardly your fault I neglected to shield myself from the sun adequately," her husband said. "Do not blame yourself."

"Still..." Sakura dipped her fingers into the jar, rubbing more balm onto his shoulders. She hadn't expected it, either, and she'd thought they had enough protective salve on hand when they'd gone to the beach. "I should have brought more..."

"Sakura, honestly." He reached for one of her hands. "I've been hurt far worse than this during battles, or even sparring with your retainer. A little sunburn isn't going to kill me." Sakura managed a tiny smile, stroking his fingers. One of the few parts of him that hadn't been burned.

"I-I know...b-but you're so _uncomfortable!_ " She nuzzled his shoulder. "I-I didn't think you'd burn so easily...I know Leo does, but..." She blushed at the memory of the picture he'd shown her, of his first trip to the islands long ago. _His hair gleaming, his muscles, his bare skin..._ "I-I thought we had enough salve..." She shifted around to the front of him, having finished his back. He cupped her chin in his hand with a small smile, his face uncommonly soft.

"Do not dwell on it any longer," he said firmly but gently. "A burn that will go away in a few days is worth spending today here with you." He kissed her lips briefly. "Besides, it's far less embarrassing to be a little burned than it would have been to tote that oversized bath toy around the water." And Sakura couldn't help but giggle a little. The Lilith-shaped "floatie" was cute, but she could tell Xander wasn't too happy to be posing with it. "I'm just relieved that aside from my retainers, only you have seen that picture."

"Y-you looked s-so handsome...e-even with that thing in your arms," she said, her cheeks heating up as he drew her closer. "J-just like now..."

He kissed the tip of her nose, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"Just like you looked beautiful in yours, and even more beautiful now." And her guilt melted away for the moment, Sakura smiling and pressing a shy kiss to his lips. Neither of them were overly good with words, both shy and awkward, so when Xander said such things she knew he meant them.

"Oh, Xander..."

"Besides," he murmured, "I...do enjoy having the care of the army's best healer..." His cheeks turned pink and Sakura giggled a little, shifting to slick her fingers with more balm to rub against the burns on his chest. Even with the redness gone, she could pick them out by how hot the skin was.

"I-I'll always take care of you, Xander...n-no matter how badly you're hurt." Just like she'd healed every scar on his body, kissed every bruise, listened as he recounted his memories of life in Nohr's troubled court. Just like he'd held her hand and let her cry after she said goodbye to her mother and father one last time.

As she smoothed the balm over his chest, she felt him relax, and his pained winces and gasps were soon replaced with contented sighs.


End file.
